Does Religion enslave the Working Class ?

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general common sense disagrees.

When has a poor person ever created a job or a business firm. To start even a small business one has to have some assets.

ruveyn

LOL! Peebo should try handing out his resume to those folks living on Skid Row...

lots of small business is started by 1st generation Americans starting from nothing.
The bold show how ingrained the feudal attitude is becoming.
Asking to be given work?
If more people would wise up and refuse to sell their labor wholesale to a corporation
that then turns around and sells it retail.
cut out the middle man and sell the fruit of you labor directly.

You're kidding, right? This is what the jornaleros (day laborers) do, and they do it without medical benefits, union protection, or overtime pay. In fact, a jornalero often works for cash, and often for less than minimum wage. This is because the over-abundance of unskilled laborers translates into an employers' market when it comes to jobs. You want minimum wage when the other guy will do it for less? Yeah ... right ...

If you want to be an entrepreneur, first, you need to produce a product or service that other people will want to buy or rent. Then you need to produce or provide it more economically, more effectively, and more efficiently than any of your competitors. Finally, you have to provide it with consistent quality and quantity on demand. Failing any of these, and your business likely will not succeed.

But for those of us in the Corporate world, the way is simple: To be employed, be employable. In my experience potential employees seem to fail during the interview process because: (1) They just don't qualify for the positions being offered; (2) They exaggerate the value of their services; (3) They seem to have an exaggerated sense of entitlement to the position; (4) They try to rely on their looks and personalities instead of expressing any ability and willingness to actually do the job; (5) They lie about their education, experience, or both; (6) They act, dress, or speak inappropriately for an interview; or (7) Any combination of (1) through (6).

With all of the potential employees out there looking for work - and all of the entrepreneurs with nothing to offer trying to compete - employers are now in the enviable position of being able to pick and choose from a vast pool of generic workers. Sure, and we can not discriminate because of sex, religion, ethnicity, et al.,

There is a caveat: If (for example) we have to decide from three candidates of equal expertise, we may very well go with the best-looking one - even if they are men! So if anyone is called in for an interview, I suggest that they try to look their best, and not dress like this guy:



This is my new favorite editorial cartoon.

For years now the banks have been foreclosing on millions of homes yet the Religious Right refuses to mention the jubilee laws that state that foreclosed property must be returned to the original owner once every 50 years. The Religious Right thinks that the jubilee laws are Fidel Castro land reform.

Jubilee is biblical horse crap. We are governed under Common Law and positive Law, not biblical law.

See if there is a Jubilee hiding in the U.S. Constitution. Let us know if you find it.

ruveyn

The constitutional emancipation proclamation is based on the Jubilee laws.

It happened once and that was a decree, not a law passed by congress. Slavery was not legally eliminated until AFTER the war, in 1865 by way of a constitutional amendment, not a commandment from God.

ruveyn

Gentlemen please. let us not get in to classist arguments. THere are good rich people and there are good poor people. Each group as individuals have contributed to this society, and to remove one class or the other would in this era cause great suffering and misery.

perhaps in marx's day religion was a problem, but in reality it is the benevolent and altruistic ruling classes who enslave the masses, as they always have done. religion is but one tactic they have used. i think, on some level, everyone is aware of this.

It help to have a vast middle class from which peoples can start a small business. (That can potentialy grow.) To have a vast middle class it help that there is government norms to guarantee good working conditions and salary, as well as godd social services that can help poors to rise to the middle class. A good public education system is also very important for that last point.

Observing history and today world is more that enough to conclude that the belief that the wealthy are systematicely a source of prosperity is simply delusional and irrational. Peoples living in vast manors while be surronded by slums is a very common sight in many country and through history.

Religion is not that much a bad point really, it's not like that the working class had ever much hope to begin with.

There are more startups from middle class entrepreneurs. That is the good news. The firms they start are generally small to middle size. Small businesses employ many more people than the large corporations.

The engine of creativity in the U.S. consists of people who are not already rich. But they have -something-. That have family support, a network of friends who can help then, most important they have productive skills and an ambition to better themselves.

Most people who are "rich" are not supper rich like a few hundred or a few thousand bankers and CEOs making outrageous salaries that have no relation whatsoever to their productivity. Founders and CEOs of medium size firms are not billionares although some have net worth in the low millions. But compare to people earning a wage they are "rich".

Unfortunately there is a tendency right now to demonize anyone who is doing comfortably well.

Why aren't we asking how is it possible for a few extremely overpaid business people who do damn little productive work to get into that position in the first place?

ruveyn

By their own definition of what a "cult" is, most religions are nothing more than cults. If by "enslave," you mean hold complete power and authority over their followers, then yes, they do enslave the working class. They are the gatekeepers of "heaven" "you can't get in unless you believe and give us your money." And since most churches/religions are built upon an aristocracy, yes, they do enslave the working class and promise them a better reward in the afterlife, if they are good enough.

Maybe the word "enslave" is not entirely accurate; certainly, the word "exploit" is more appropriate.

Bullsnot.

The Jubilee Laws are relevant only to the descendents of Judah, and only until the destruction of Herod's Temple, after which there were no more animal sacrifices according to Mosaic Law, which rendered the Covenant in abeyance - maybe even null and void - thus, Jubilee Laws are largely irrelevant, except maybe to some ultra-orthodox Hasidim.

Christianity is what confuses me the most because it's modern day successor is the exact opposite of what their messiah intended. According to the bible Jesus didn't preach in big mega churches, he preached outside. Jesus also drove the money changers out of the temple, but the modern day Christian church is so very money hungry. That's just one modern day religion for example.